Politicians confess to youthful experiments with cannabis

The revelations about widespread drug abuse in Scotland follows public admissions by some politicians over their use of illegal substances.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop are among the leading SNP figures who were reported to have admitted that they had used cannabis during their youth in a series of interviews in 2007.

Ms Sturgeon, who is also the health secretary, admitted that she had tried the drug while studying law at the University of Glasgow. She said: “I experimented when I was a student, but it made me sick so I didn’t use it again.”

Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison said she tried the drug up at Glasgow’s Jordanhill College. She said “I think I was at a party and it was getting passed around. I had a puff as everybody did, but didn’t like it.”‬‪

However, First Minister Alex Salmond and his finance secretary John Swinney ‪have denied trying the drug.

Meanwhile. former Glasgow City Council Labour leader Steven Purcell left his post two years ago admitting using cocaine.

Prominent Conservative MP Louise Mensch, who is also confessed to taking Class A drugs that she said had been “very damaging” and disturbed her mind.

Former US President Bill Clinton famously admitted using cannabis, but not inhaling and former Prime Minister Tony Blair was criticised in some quarters for inviting former Oasis star and self-confessed drug user Noel Gallagher to No. 10.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who has never admitted previous drug use